Game apparatus.



J. W. C'UTHBERT.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE4. |917.

Patented Jan. 1, 19151 l l IIIIIIILJWIIIIUI f IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y TED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

JOHN W. CUTHBERT, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 CHARLES M. BUMP AND ONE-FOURTH TO BELLE L. BUMP, BOTH. OF BAY CITYyMICHIGAN.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed J' une 4, 1917. Serial No. 172,719.

T0 all Iwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN 1V. CUTHBERT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, oi' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

One object is to provide a game apparatus wherein there is provided a body member having a plurality of open-ended containers, the lower ends of which are intersected by passages, with means interposed between the lower ends of the containers and the passages to hold one or more objects against discharge from the containers, eX- cept when manipulated by a player and the manipulation of which is effected by a contact therewith of a marble or other object shot or thrown through or into apassage below a corresponding container.

Another object resides in the provision of a game apparatus of the nature stated embodying such characteristics that the discharge of marbles Aor other articles from some of the containers is more ditticult to accomplish than to effect a discharge of articles from other containers and in which apparatus the containers more ditiicult of discharge are adapted to contain a greater number of marbles or other articles than those containers from which it is less difficult to effect discharge, thereby requiring skill and excitement in playing the game.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the coinbination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the shape, size, materials proportions and minor details without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character 4 indicates a body member which is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

preferably curved as shown particularly in Fig. 1. rThis body 4 is provided with a number of containers 5, 6, 7 8 and 9, vwhose lower ends are preferably closed by movable members l0, one movable member for each.

container. Each movable member is swingingly connected at 11 to the back of the body 4 andhas a portion 12 extending into the passages, with this portion 12 of the respective movable member 10 so mounted as to lie normally adjacent the lower end of the respective container for the support in the latter of a plurality of marbles 13, as shown.

A plurality of passages 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are formed transversely through the body 4 under the lower ends of the respective containers 5 to 9, inclusive. The purpose of these passages 14 to 18, inclusive, is to ypermit the passage therethrough of marbles ywhich may be shot from off the players forenger and thumb in the manner usually practised in the shooting of marbles. As the marbles pass through said passages they are adapted to swing the respective movable members 10 which normally close the lower ends of the containers. To this end, each movable member 10 has a projection 19 which extends downwardly well into the respective passage so that when the player hits the respective projection 19 of a swinging or movable member 10, the latter is caused to swing on its pivot 11 and thereby effect a discharge of the marbles or other objects from the respective container.

The intermediate passage 16 runs parallel with the ends of the curved body 4, with the result that it is easier to gain entrance into the passage 16 than it is to gain passage into the passages 14 and 15 or 17 and 18, because of the passages being arranged with relation to the curvature of the body 4 or incident to the fact that the passages 14 and 15 diverge rearwardly with relation t0 the central or intermediate passage 16. As it is easier to gain access to the pockets 15 and 17 than to the pockets 14 and 15 incident to the curvature of the body 4, the containers 5 and 9 are adapted to contain more marbles or objects than the containers 6 and 8, while the containers 6 and 8 contain more marbles than the central or intermediate container 7. The result is that if a player effects a discharge of marbles from container 7 he scores less than another player who might effect a discharge of marbles from one of the other containers. It is thought that the method of playing the game and of scoring will be readily understood from the description herein given.

What is claimed is:-

`l. A game apparatus comprising a body having a plurality of vertically disposed open-ended containers and a passage under each container, swinging members secured to the body and having portions lying adjacent the lower ends of the containers to support objects therein, each of said members having a projection adapted to be contacted with by an article entering the respective passage.

2. A game apparatus comprising a body having a plurality of vertically disposed open-ended containers and a passage under each container, means secured to the body and normally lying adjacent the lower ends of the containers to support objects therein, and means whereby upon the entry of a moving article in one passage the said supporting means may be actuated to release the objects from the respective container.

3. A game apparatus comprising a body having a plurality of open-ended containers and a passage under each container, the body being curved and some of the passages being arranged angularly Vwith relation to one of the other passages, swinging members secured to the body and having portions projecting into the passages and lying adjacent the lower ends of the containers to support objects therein, each of said members having a projection adapted to be contacted with by an article entering the respective passage and whereby discharge of objects from such container is eEected.

4. A game apparatus comprising a body having a plurality of open-ended containers therein, the outer ends of the containers opening through the body, said body also having passages formed in its lower portion in intersecting relation to said containers, movable means projecting into the passages adjacent the lower ends of the containers to support objects in the containers, said movable members being displaced by contact therewith of an article entering the respective passage to effect a discharge of the objects from the respective container.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JOHN W. CUTHBERT.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. C. 

